The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-17
MARY BAKERS FAST.
A Girl Who Has Not Swallowed Food OF
Water for Eighty-Four Days.

Lafayette Special
Your correspondent visited and interviewed
Miss Mary Baker, the fasting girl of White
county, whose entire abstinence from all food or
water for the period of eighty-four days has
eclipsed the record of Tanner and made her the
medical marvel of the age. She is at the house
of her ssep-father Louis Winters, who lives two
and half miles northwest of the village of Buff
falo, in the extreme northeast corner of Monon
township. Mary was lying on lounge in n cor
ner of the room. supported by chair at her
back and attended by sister. Upon inquiry as
to how she felt to-day, she said she did not fee!
as we'll as usual. She spoke in low whisper,
her answer being explained by her sister.
In conversation with Mrs. Winters the moth
or of the stricken girl it was learned that Mary
had lain there just twelve weeks to-day, without
taking anything into her stomach. Her Hastings
commenced with relapse from spell of sick
ness which she had abou, year ago, from which
she never fully recovered. She fell asleep, and
slept for five days and nights. since which time
she has taken nourishment or medicine more
than to take it into her mouth and Immediately
throw it up. Her mother, as we'll as numerous
watchers, are confident that nothing has entered
the stomach for the time of eighty-four days.
While in the presence of Mary the writer saw
her take some water, which was no sooner taken
than it was thrown up Morphine is injected in
her limbs every four hours, from which she
seems to find immediate relief Immediately
after the operation the young lady looks remark
ably we'll for one who has been confined to bed
so long Her face has the warmth of a person
in usual health, while the warmth in her arms
is barely perceptible The lower part of the
body and limbs is scarcely anything but skin and
bone
Dr. j. FL. Crother, of Chicago, who was at her
bedside, said that she was evidently laboring
under complication of diseases; but a near
neighbor, L. NJ. Dill, who visits the family daily,
told your correspondent that Miss Baker had
been under medical treatment almost constantly
by the leading physicians of the country, in
Guiding several distinguished practitioners OF
St Louis and Indianapolis none Of whom have
been able to diagnose her case satisfactorily,
and all free to admit that no similar case has
ever come under their observation reading in
| the books. DR.. Crother said it was impossible
to ameliorate her condition suffering save by
the administering of morphine hyodermcally.
AT irregular intervals she suffers intense agony,
occasioned by spasmodic contractions of the
| muscles, sometimes of the hand, arm, neck. face,
lower extremities, or perhaps the entire body,
during which time she is unable to speak aloud.
| those in attendance being requested to rub the
affected parts briskly with the hand
| Miss Baker before her sickness, was the belle
of'the Monon valley, and most beautiful Young
lady with great intellectual powers. She won
all the prizes at the county seminary before her
| graduation and had contributed some poems to
| the columns of the Monticello Herald that at
tracted considerable notice in the State The
case is all that it has heretofore been represent
| cd. and is beyond doubt the most remarkable Of
| the kind known to the present generation or
| that has come to the attention Of the medical
world in this any other age.